Scott Wolf

Staff Writer

Recent articles

USC

USC athletic director Pat Haden announced via Twitter he would not attend this week’s College Football Playoff Selection Committee in Indianapolis because of the state of Indiana’s recently-signed “religious freedom” law, which allows businesses to turn away gay and lesbian customers.Haden, who is a member of the CFP committee, tweeted “I am the proud father of a gay son,”...

USC

It is probably a generous description to say freshman quarterback Ricky Town is inconsistent. But it is also slightly absurd to expect much out of a quarterback who should still be a senior at St. Bonaventure High School in Ventura.After nine spring practices, Town is learning and in no danger of making anyone think twice of Cody Kessler being the starter or Max Browne the backup at USC.“Ricky Town is up and down,” Trojans coach Steve Sarkisian said Saturday.

USC

Adoree Jackson is trying to juggle football and track at USC, but the sophomore said Thursday his preference was to only compete in track this spring.That is considered a groundbreaking stance at USC, where just getting a football player to compete in track used to be difficult. Former track coach Ron Allice used to say football players got lost on their way to Cromwell Field during the Pete Carroll era because Carroll and his staff discouraged them from doing two sports.But...

Sports

The NCAA released nearly 500 pages of documents Tuesday related to USC’s sanctions, including a controversial comparison of assistant coach Todd McNair to the Oklahoma City bombing.There are several emails that illustrate the infraction committee’s desire to punish USC back in 2010 for violations involving former tailback Reggie Bush.“They need a wake-up call that doing things the wrong way will have serious consequences,” committee member Rodney...

Men's college basketball

Everyone knows Kentucky is undefeated and an overwhelming favorite to win the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats are so jaded they did not even cut down the nets after winning the Southeastern Conference Tournament on Sunday.Perhaps the polar opposite of Kentucky is Northeastern, which won its first Colonial Athletic Association Tournament title and made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1991. No, not Northwestern.“People confuse that a lot,” Huskies guard...

USC

USC’s defense that entered spring practice with more questions than the offense turned the tables Saturday with an interception-filled day at the Coliseum.The defense intercepted four passes and generally looked sharp against the more-experienced offense. Defenses usually enjoy an advantage during spring drills but USC is coping without star defensive lineman Leonard Williams and linebacker Hayes Pullard, who used up their eligibility. Also missing is starting linebacker...

USC

USC will probably promote quarterback Cody Kessler as its Heisman Trophy candidate next season. But the Trojans’ most electrifying candidate would be triple-threat Adoree Jackson.The sophomore, who plays offense, defense and special teams, made his intentions clear Thursday after another strong practice at wide receiver.“I want to win the Heisman,” Jackson said. “I want to win the Thorpe (Award) and the Heisman.”Jackson would probably...

Sports topics

With little mystery surrounding the status of star defensive lineman Leonard Williams, the main focus during USC’s Pro Day on Wednesday was controversial cornerback Josh Shaw.The nation’s best-known suspended player from last season performed defensive drills before a lighter-than-normal assortment of NFL coaches and scouts. And several gave a positive assessment from what they saw of Shaw, whose stock increased following the Senior Bowl and NFL combine.Shaw said...

USC

Former USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams attended Tuesday’s practice but not to taunt the coaching staff about what it will miss next season.Williams is back on campus to prepare for today’s Pro Day at USC. But it hardly will affect his draft status because he is already projected a top-three pick in most mock drafts.“I felt that (I was the best player in the draft) for awhile,” Williams said. “I’m a player that pushes myself the...

USC

USC enters the Pacific-12 Conference Tournament with 13 losses in its past 15 games, so naturally the 12th-seeded Trojans are optimistic for Wednesday’s first-round game against fifth-seeded Arizona State at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.“We’re a brand new team,” freshman guard Elijah Stewart said. “We’ve kind of found our place now.”Morale is on an upswing because in the past two games the Trojans (11-19) defeated...